


I Hope Someday, If You've Lost Your Way, You Can Turn To Me (Like I Turn To You)

by revenblue



Series: [collection] but you keep spinning 'round me just the same (Perryshmirtz) [101]
Category: Phineas and Ferb
Genre: Ambiguous Relationships, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gen, POV Second Person, Perry demands a hug, Perry needs a hug, Perry the Platypus Gets A Hug
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-09
Updated: 2020-04-09
Packaged: 2021-03-01 21:35:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,631
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23553913
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/revenblue/pseuds/revenblue
Summary: He chirrs softly, not moving, and was this his plan all along? Totrapyou, in ahug? Because it's working.
Relationships: Heinz Doofenshmirtz & Perry the Platypus
Series: [collection] but you keep spinning 'round me just the same (Perryshmirtz) [101]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/746841
Comments: 10
Kudos: 91





	I Hope Someday, If You've Lost Your Way, You Can Turn To Me (Like I Turn To You)

You've just put the finishing touches on the usual _trap_ for your nemesis when a key rattles in the lock. Right on schedule. Very _punctual_ , is your nemesis. One of the many things you've come to appreciate about him, that makes your relationship _work_ even when he's punching you in the face again.

It helps that you've _volunteered_ to get beaten up every day. Well, just having a nemesis at all, same difference in the end. He still _shows up_.

The point is, he's here to _thwart_ you and you can't wait.

Placing yourself in the spot you'd _planned_ \- it's important to make a good impression, this is your _nemesis_ \- you wait for him to finish breaking in. Anticipation leaves your _hands_ trembling and _you_ glad you didn't install sweat glands into this iteration of your arms. Sure, it'd be more _realistic_ if you _did_ , but it gets in the way of _scheming_.

"Thanks for using the _key_ again, Perry the Platypus," you say when the door swings open, revealing your nemesis in the doorway. "As much as I like our little _tussles_ , it's not fun having to call people in for repairs. I swear my _builder_ is charging me _more_ now."

He doesn't even acknowledge that, not that you expected him to, and walks in-

And _dodges_ the trap. Like he knew it was there all along. Did he know about _all_ of them in advance? But why would he walk into a trap _deliberately_? You have your _routine_ going but that's just to make _you_ feel better, _he_ doesn't need to follow it-

Rolling his eyes at you, he takes your hand and pulls you away from your scheme, despite your protests. You don't _mean_ them but they're _there_ and he's not listening _at all_. Instead, he leads you to your chair - the comfortable one you spend your evenings in, watching tv while you bandage yourself up - and shoves you in. You can't even hate him for it, especially not when he's climbing up a second later to plant his butt in your lap.

You can't bring yourself to stop him, either. How could you, when this is more than you could ever imagine, let alone _deserve_. Because you don't deserve him. Not as a nemesis, and definitely not as a _friend_. Is this friendship? He's not hitting you so it _could_ be-

And now he's _hugging_ you. Wrapping his little _arms_ around your chest and _everything_ , and you don't know how to breathe any more.

Frozen in place, you try to make sense of where _this_ came from. It's not like he's really- Well, there _was_ that _one_ time- But that was _you_ asking for a hug. Not... "Perry the Platypus?" you say eventually, chancing a look down at him. You can't see his face under the brim of his fedora but it's not like that changes much, he doesn't show you how he feels _anyway_.

He chirrs softly, not moving, and was this his plan all along? To _trap_ you, in a _hug_? Because it's working.

Swallowing back your apprehension, you place your hand on his shoulders. When he doesn't _hit_ you for it you keep going, scritching at his fur - or really tiny feathers, you're still not sure, but you _think_ it's fur - so _smooth_ and _soft_ under your fingers. Has he _always_ been this soft, or did you just calibrate your _arms_ wrong last time you did maintenance?

Probably the second one but you wouldn't _know_ , he's never let you this _close_ before. Thwarting doesn't count, you're too focused on protecting your _inator_ to worry about his _fur_. Speaking of which...

"Is this your new plan to _thwart_ me or something?" you try, wincing at the way your voice wavers. "You _know_ it's not going to _work_ , right? _You_ can't stay here _forever_ , I'm going to get free _somehow_ , probably when you're in the _bathroom_ or something-"

He shifts against you, squirming closer, and you hold your breath. Is he-

Then he starts making these _noises_ , like- like he's _crying_ , like _Vanessa_ always did when _she_ was upset, not that she's done _that_ recently, at least around _you_ \- but he _can't_ be, he's _Perry the Platypus_ , he's-

Well, _something's_ soaking through your shirt, and for a brief moment you worry he's decided to forgo the bathroom breaks entirely to _keep_ you trapped here, but it's too high up to be _that_ so you - _reluctantly_ , you're _very_ reluctant about this whole thing - acknowledge that your nemesis _may_ in fact be crying into your chest. Just maybe. He's _your nemesis_ , he's not _supposed_ to _cry_ , he's supposed to thwart you and _leave_ , and right now he's not doing _either_ of those things. Just... crying.

You curl your other arm around him and under his tail, cradling him against your chest. If you're going to have a solid lump of _platypus_ in your lap, warm and heavy and trembling with each muffled sob, you might as well _comfort_ him. Even though he's your _nemesis_. Sure, he's there for _you_ when you need it, but-

"Don't you have someone _else_ you can ask?" you blurt out, because surely he has better options than _you_ , why would he-

Shake his head? He's _shaking_ his _head_ but that _has_ to be wrong, he's _Perry the Platypus_ , suave semi-aquatic personification of unstoppable dynamic fury, who only _thwarts_ you because it's his _job_ before going back to his way better _friends_. That's what you'd always _assumed_ , anyway, and you'd _had_ to assume because he never talks about his life but it has to be _great_ , right? For someone as great as _him_?

But if he's crying like this, then... maybe you were wrong. "You really don't have any _other_ friends you can go to?" you try, and he shakes his head again. "What about _family_ -"

An agonised sound tears from his throat at that, and you hold him closer because what else _can_ you do? He's your _nemesis_ and he's _hurting_ and _you_ apparently just poked at a sore spot. Which is _not_ a way you ever wanted to _hurt_ him. You may be _Evil_ , but you're not _heartless_.

"Okay, okay," you concede, "I'm your only option. Apparently." And you thought _your_ social life was bad. How does he stand it? "Do you want to talk about it? I mean, no pressure, obviously!" Sure, you're _curious_ , but you've got a good thing going here and you're not going to _ruin_ it just to have the _answers_. What kind of _dummkopf_ would do _that_? Because he _trusts_ you, probably, and that's _way_ more important. "Or," you add, " _I_ could talk instead, how does that sound?"

He makes a small noise you _think_ is agreement, curling his tail around your waist, which is- Well, no one's ever _encouraged_ your monologues before, not even him. Honestly, he's the last one you would have expected to _bother_ , he's your _nemesis_.

Idly stroking his fur, you make yourself comfortable in your chair, since you're going to be here a while. "You could have just _asked_ , you know. We've reached that point, right? Where you _could_ ask? It's not just _me_? I mean I don't _mind_ , I'm _used_ to you _demanding_ things, that's- It's _familiar_." And it's nice to be _wanted_. "Like when you _thwart_ me. _That's_ fine, I _signed up_ for that, literally signed a _contract_ for it with your _Agency_. But _this_ , where _you_ trap _me_..." You never realised he thought of you as a _friend_. "Is this a _one-off_ or are you planning to do it again?"

Lifting his head, he gives you a _look_ with his reddened eyes - which is _not_ an answer - then proceeds to blow his nose in your lab coat.

"First of all, _gross_ , and secondly..." You have to actually _say_ it, don't you? "I wouldn't _mind_ if this, you know, happened again. It's _nice_. Not the _crying_ part, it's _weird_ to see you so... I mean, you're my _nemesis_." Wrapping your arms tighter around him, you sigh into his fedora. "If it helps you _thwart_ me better, I'll- It's a _sacrifice_ I'm willing to make. I won't even scheme! Imagine that, _me_ not _scheming_. How about it?" And not just so you can hold him like this more often, touching his incredibly soft fur. That's more a _bonus_.

You don't get a response, but that's fine, you'll keep monologuing. Not like you can do much _else_. Unless you disturb him from his rest, which you're not going to, he's too _adorable_ here with his soft chirrs and occasional sniffles, shoulders rising and falling under your hand. You almost think he's asleep when he stirs, avoiding your gaze as he extracts himself from where he'd curled up in your arms.

The break must have done him some good, because he's not shaking at _all_ now, his tail pointed straight up. Back to his usual self.

"Are you going?" you ask, because it's easier when you _know_. "Or do you want to, you know, _thwart_ me- It's fine if you don't! I can set everything up again for _tomorrow_ , it'll give me some time to make sure my _inator_ works- Which it _does_ , but it's good to make sure-"

Rolling his eyes, he takes your hand again, dragging you back to... your scheme? Then walks _right_ into your trap, picking up where he left off.

You can't help it, you grin. Who are you to refuse an offer like _that_? "Ah, Perry the Platypus, you've fallen for my _trap_." And by _fallen for_ you mean _deliberately walked into_ , so you guess that's proof he _wants_ to be here. Apparently. So, you start on your monologue, because that's what you _do_ , you _scheme_ and he _thwarts_ you, and that's just how you like it.

**Author's Note:**

> Title from [I Turn To You](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lsjKK_s_nyY) by Melanie C, and I'm linking the original this time instead of the Machinae Supremacy cover.
> 
> Perryshmirtz server in series description.


End file.
